Parliamentary elections were held in Guinea-Bissau on 16 November 2008."Guinea Bissau to hold parliamentary polls in November", African Press Agency, 26 March 2008."Bissau: proclamation officielle des résultats, victoire de l'ex-parti unique", AFP, November 26, 2008 . The result was a victory for the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which won 67 out of the 100 seats in the National People's Assembly, while the Party for Social Renewal (PRS) won 28 seats.
Background Election date At a rally in Gabú on 17 July 2007, President João Bernardo Vieira said that the election would be held together with the next presidential elections in 2009 in order to save money,"Guinea-Bissau polls postponed", AFP (IOL), July 18, 2007. but the National People's Assembly did not agree to this. However, the head of the National Electoral Commission (CNE), El Hadj Malam Mané, said on 8 December 2007 that the election would be held between 23 October and 25 November 2008. On 5 December 2007, President Vieira met with 35 party leaders, and 33 of them agreed to the CNE's date range; two parties, the National Unity Party and the Party for Democracy, Development and Citizenship (PADEC), disagreed, wanting the election to be held in March or April 2008."Guinée-Bissau: les élections législatives se tiendront fin 2008" , AFP, December 8, 2007 .
In a speech before the National People's Assembly on 24 March 2008, Vieira sharply criticized Prime Minister Martinho Ndafa Kabi's government for not adequately preparing for the election, saying that "the government did not create the conditions to facilitate the holding of the legislative elections within the times required by the Constitution". He also noted that the Assembly's mandate would expire on 21 April 2008, four years after the previous elections, and that afterwards the Assembly's work have to be handled solely by its Standing Committee. On 25 March, after consultations with political party representatives, civil society, the CNE, and foreign diplomats, Vieira decided on 16 November 2008 as the date of the election.
On 27 March, the Assembly voted to extend its mandate until November by a vote of 65–2."Guinea Bissau MPs vote to extend parliament’s mandate", African Press Agency, 27 March 2008. The extension was viewed by many as a challenge to Vieira, since he had said that the Assembly's work would be handled solely by its Standing Committee after 21 April,"Le Parlement bissau-guinéen défie la présidence de la République", African Press Agency, April 17, 2008 . and it provoked significant opposition. The PAIGC opposed the extension, while the PRS and the United Social Democratic Party (PUSD) supported it."Le Conseil d’Etat demande la non prolongation du mandat des députés Bissau guinéens", African Press Agency, April 15, 2008 . A group of 20 deputies who opposed the extension said on 15 April that the extension was a violation of the Constitution and that they would not participate in any parliamentary sessions after 21 April;"La prolongation du mandat des députés divise les parlementaires bissau-guinéens", African Press Agency, April 15, 2008 . meanwhile, the Council of State asked the Assembly to reverse the extension. However, the Assembly voted to uphold the extension on 16 April, with 68 deputies in favor, seven opposed, and seven abstaining.
A meeting intended to assess the political situation was held on 18 April between Vieira, the government, the Assembly, and the Council of State. Subsequently, civil society organizations called for the resignation of Prime Minister Kabi, accusing him of making death threats against Fernando Gomis, a member of the Assembly, at this meeting. The organizations said that Kabi was unable to control his anger and as a result it was not appropriate for him to lead the government. Additionally, the organizations called on Vieira to not promulgate the extension of the parliamentary mandate, and they threatened to launch protests if Vieira did not dismiss Kabi's government and dissolve the Assembly."La société civile demande la démission du premier ministre", African Press Agency, April 19, 2008 .
On 19 May Vieira said that he had enacted the law providing for the extension of the parliamentary mandate. While remarking that those opposed to the extension were correct, he said that it was nevertheless necessary to approve it for the sake of peace and stability."Guinea Bissau leader enacts controversial law extending MPs’ term", African Press Agency, May 19, 2008.
On 1 August the Supreme Court annulled the law extending the deputies' terms until the election."Anulada lei sobre prolongação de mandato de deputados na Guiné-Bissau" , Panapress, August 2, 2008 . After consultations with the political class, civil society, and the Council of State,"Le président bissau-guinéen nomme un nouveau Premier ministre" , Xinhua, August 5, 2008 . Vieira dissolved the National People's Assembly on 5 August,"GUINEA-BISSAU: Uncertain future as President dissolves government", IRIN, August 6, 2008. leaving only its Standing Committee in place. He also appointed Carlos Correia—who was previously prime minister under Vieira from 1991 to 1994 and from 1997 to 1998—as Prime Minister on the same day, replacing Kabi. A new government headed by Correia was appointed on 9 August."Guinea-Bissau gets 21 new cabinet ministers" , African Press Agency, August 10, 2008."Novo primeiro-ministro bissau-guineense forma Governo", Panapress, August 9, 2008. This government was dominated by Vieira loyalists"Guine-Bissau: Novo PM divulga lista completa do seu Governo" Lusa (rtp.pt), August 9, 2008 . and members of PAIGC, including PAIGC dissidents who were supporters of Vieira. The appointment of one of these PAIGC dissidents—Cipriano Cassamá—as Minister of the Interior was deemed especially significant, due to the Interior Ministry's responsibility for the election. The PRS was given five posts in the government, while the Republican Party for Independence and Development (PRID) and the United People's Alliance (APU) were each given a single post.
Shortly after Correia's appointment, a coup plot allegedly led by the head of the navy, Rear Admiral Americo Bubo Na Tchuto, was said to have been thwarted. According to an army spokesman, Na Tchuto asked other senior officers to support his plot, which was planned to occur on 7 August but when he asked the chief of staff of the army to join the plot, the latter ordered Na Tchuto's arrest."Guinea Bissau 'foils coup plot'", BBC News, August 8, 2008. Na Tchuto was placed under house arrest, but he escaped and fled to The Gambia, where he was arrested by the Gambian authorities on 12 August ."Gambia arrests alleged coup plotter", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), August 13, 2008.
On 11 August UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon released a statement saying that he was "deeply concerned over the mounting political and security tensions in Guinea-Bissau" and calling "on all national stakeholders to work cooperatively and peacefully together in the national interest and in full respect of the rule of law"."Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Guinea-Bissau", UN Secretary-General statement, August 11, 2008.
An African Union pre-election assessment mission, led by Anil Gayan of Mauritius, arrived in Bissau on 18 August; the mission was intended to determine whether the appropriate conditions for holding the election existed. Members of the mission met with Prime Minister Correia on 21 August, and Correia affirmed the government's intention to hold the election on schedule in November."UA avalia organização de eleições na Guiné-Bissau" , Panapress, August 22, 2008 .
By law, candidate lists had to be submitted at least 60 days before the election was held. As the available period entered its final week, Supreme Court President Maria do Ceu Silva Monteiro expressed concern on 10 September that none of the parties had submitted their lists to the National Electoral Commission or the Supreme Court, although 17 parties had stated their intention to participate in the elections."Signes d’inquiétudes à Bissau, au sujet des législatives de novembre", African Press Agency, September 11, 2008 . By the end of the week 21 parties and coalitions submitted candidate lists and were approved by the Supreme Court. Lists submitted by 12 other parties were rejected because they were submitted an hour too late. The approved lists included two coalitions, the Democratic Alliance and the Alliance of Patriotic Forces, as well as two new parties, PRID (led by former prime minister Aristides Gomes) and PADEC (led by former prime minister Francisco Fadul)."Bissau high court endorses lists of legislative candidates", African Press Agency, September 17, 2008.
A European Union pre-election evaluation mission was sent to Guinea-Bissau, and on 18 September Prime Minister Correia held discussions with the mission about electoral preparations. The mission was led by Harro Adt, the Special Envoy of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the Mano River Basin, who expressed optimism regarding Guinea-Bissau's political situation."EU pre-election mission visits Guinea Bissau", African Press Agency, September 19, 2008.
After the National Election Registration Commission published the lists of registered voters, some citizens who had registered complained that they were not included on the lists. There were reportedly many errors in the lists, and the Interior Ministry promised to rectify the situation so that the final lists published by the CNE would be accurate."Omissions, errors mar Guinea Bissau’s voter registration lists", African Press Agency, September 29, 2008.
In late September, PRS vice-president Ibrahima Sori Djalo alleged that President Vieira and Prime Minister Correia were planning to delay the election until 2009, possibly using an epidemic of cholera as a pretext. He also claimed that there were plans to rig the election in favor of PAIGC."L'opposition accuse le président Nino de vouloir reporter les législatives", African Press Agency (Jeuneafrique.com), September 30, 2008 .
Finance On 1 April speaking to representatives of international organizations and diplomats, Prime Minister Kabi called on the international community to assist in raising the 3.7 billion CFA francs required for the election's budget. He said that the Portuguese government had agreed to supply the necessary electoral material."Guinea Bissau appeals for funds to hold parliamentary polls", African Press Agency, April 1, 2008. Three months later, Cristian Nabitan, the secretary of state for administrative reform, announced the approval of a large shipment of electoral materials from Portugal, including ballots, ballot boxes, voting booths, and indelible ink, on July 1; he said that this shipment represented 75% of the materials Guinea-Bissau needed for the election and that another shipment would arrive in Bissau on the next day. The materials were valued at about 41 million CFA francs. The Portuguese government also said that it would send electoral observers if asked to do so."Près de 75% du matériel électoral déjà disponible en Guinée Bissau", African Press Agency, July 1, 2008 .
The government and the United Nations Development Programme signed an electoral financing agreement on 10 July 2008, providing about $430,000 US dollars.
Census